Port Dickson Winter School December 1987

26th December 1987 Port Dickson Baha'i Winter School

By now Malaysia has a visible number of Chinese speaking Baha'is members.

Malaysia is the only NON Chinese country that has a proud Chinese education system.

Loi Krathong in Chiang Mai City

November 1986

Loi Krathong in 1986, Chiang Mai

The Loy Krathong Festival is Thailand's most beautiful and meaningful celebration.

It is a festival of light, of public fireworks and millions of candle flames flickering and moving in gentle water currents.

Loy Krathong takes place on the full moon in November.

Loi Krathong Parade at night through the Chiang Mai streets.

Each village sent their decorated car with color lanterns, flowers and big krathong some village also has the traditional dancing and music band to joint the parade as homage to Lord Buddha and Goddess of River.

By the end of the evening, there are hundreds of flickering lights bobbing up and down on the water.

This Festival is a 13th century Sukhothai tradition of Brahmin origin to give thanks to the Goddess of water and to seek forgiveness for misdeeds.

This tradition is strong in agricultural societies where the river gives life and sustenance in a close bond between Man and Nature.

During the evening, many people come to the river to float their krathongs. People usually make a wish at the same time. They believe this will bring them good luck.

As each individual's krathong floats away, it is time to say goodbye to old regrets and to look forward to a brighter future.

The krathongs (photo above) contain a flower, a candle and three incense sticks. The sticks are lighted before being placed on the water.

The Akka Village

November 1986

I have long been interested on the tribal people in the North Thailand and while in Chang Mai I took the opportunity to joint a guided 2Days 1Night hill track to an Akka Village.

The journey :

By mini bus from Chieng Mai to a small village;
From the small village by elephant up to a hill station;
From the hill station walk up to a Akka Village for the night

A panoramic view of the Akka village where our tour group spend the night. The tourist hut (hotel) is at the right hand side.

The children (in the middle of above photo) don't go to school and it didn't look as though they were doing any agricultural works. But it good they do not ask for “Money” like children in other tourists corrupted area I been to.

This Akka village seemed untainted by tourists. They keep their traditional natural feel without any false acts.

The Aka generally prefer to live along mountain ridges at high altitudes of approximately 1,000 meters and they rarely moved south. The Aka houses are on low stilts, with a large porch leading into a square living area with a stove. The roof is steeply pitched.

Our group consists only 6 tourist on 3 elephants. Each elephant has a care taker.

With an Akka rice farmer (photo above) beside her rice farm.

The Akka are shifting cultivators. They cultivate dry rice for consumption and grow corn, millet, peppers, beans, garlic, sesame and other varieties of vegetables as additional subsistence crops.

Crop production is often inadequate to meet their needs.

The Akka are well known to tourists for their extraordinary costumes and exotic appearance. They originate from Tibetan Highlands.

Over the years they left their homeland and migrated south to Yunnan, North Burma and Laos, and have only recently entered North Thailand, 150 years ago.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akha_people

--

無拉巷袁其良學院

1986 - International Year of Peace

1986 - International Year of Peace

THE PROMISE OF WORLD PEACE

INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF PEACE

Founder of Santitham School in Thailand

Years previously I hear of this Baha’I school and wished to visit one day.

That wish came true in 1986 in Bangkok when an LSA member asked me to make a trip to Yasothon Town Santitham School. I do not have to do any teaching or do any volunteer service there. My job is a simple but great honored mission : To accompany Mrs. Shirine Fozdar to Santitham School.

And Mrs. Shirine Fozdar is the founder of Santitham Vidhayakhom School in Yasothon Town of North Thailand.

It was an over night bus trip from Bangkok City at night and reaching Yasothon early in the morning. The bus journey may be comfortable to us but may not for Shirine Fozdar. Not because of her age but because of ……………………

......... Just a year before, Mrs. Fozdar accidentally fall down in the school compound and seriously broke a leg. She had to be specially attended to and transported back to Singapore from Thailand. Though the school is in Thailand, Singapore is where she lives and where she would recuperate her leg and health.

Now a year has passed, and she is now strong and energy to return where she last fall. This was the timing I happen to met her at Bangkok and would accompany her to return to her school………………………..

The bus reached Yasothon early morning. I was suppose to be the nurse providing services and convenient to an eldery but not. I was new in Thailand and spoke no Thai (except Ning, Song, Sam, Si, Ha, Taulai ). Getting down from the bus I was lost not knowing what to do. Instead Mrs. Fozdar shout out loud to some men opposite the road:

“Samlo! Samlo!”

Instantly, a bicycle richshow rush to her side with smiling face. Another few more words in Thai from Mrs. Fozdar and off we went to her school her long to see again.

Mrs. Shirin Fozdar with some of the student at the Secondary Commercial Section the morning she arrive after a year of absent for recuperating of a broken leg from a fall in this school compound.

Santitham Vidhayakhom School

Santitham Vidhayakhom School 1986

Santitham Vidhayakhom School is a non-profit educational institution founded by Mrs. Shirin Fozdar who always worked for the upgrade of wellbeing and status of Asian women.

The School provides educational services which promote the moral, intellectual and physical development of its students.

The School is divided into three sections and each section has a separate buildings:

1) Nursery & Kindergarten,
2) Primary
3) Secondary (Commercial).

The School charge a very low fees to enable the poor children to obtain education.

The School receives donations from organizations and individuals.

3) Commercial Secondary Section

2) Primary Section

1) Nursery & Kindergarten Section

1986 Santitham Vidhayakhom School

1984 Pei Mei Graduation

印度自由僑校聯合畢業典禮

印度蘭齊傳真

31 October 1984 Indira Gandhi

31 October 1984 Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards in the morning.

I was in Calcutta city the whole day and saw a different Calcutta city scene in my life.

12th Nov 1983 Pei Mei School Graduation

National Day Celebration 10th October 1983 in Calcutta

National Day Celebration 10th October 1983 (Double Ten Day)

印度華僑各界慶祝 中華民國七十二年雙十國慶

1983 Tibetan Refugees Self-Help Centre, India

The overnight train ride from Calcutta reached Siliguri early in the morning. From here I bought another train train ticket to the final distination - Darjeeling.

Summer 1983 Tibetan Refugees Self-Help Centre

Darjeeling

Following the direction in my Lonely Planet travel guide book, I came to this Centre on Northern hillside of Darjeeling. I found the regugee's kitchen and as suggested by this guide book, I tried the Tibetian soup dumpling for lunch. Though summer, it is cold in a hill station like Darjeeling, and this bowl of fresh from boiling hot soup with meat dumpling served well to give some warm to the body.

I met friendly and outgoing young Tibetans (Photo above). They lookforward to the outside world. The refugee centre after all is too small a world for them. As such they make effort in mastering English, a necessary skill to live outside the refugee center.

I came to Darjeeling by a Toy Train, a big toy train. Most visitors do not take the small train because of slow and time consuming. There are plenty of jeep and buses for batter choice. But I took up the suggestion in Lonely Planet to try this world unique Toy train. It was a memorable experience. I had an exciting riding experience most travelers never had......clinging to the window side of the train and ridded for half an hour. What made this happen is.......

It seemed to be a popular sport of the young people of the hill to Darjeeling. They made they own skating board of a meter length wood plank with two or three wheel on. While there is no vehicle in sight, they would link on the board with their hands and feet floating in the air, they slice down the deep slop down the road. Its is a height speed extreme sport.

This toy train ride took a whole day. By the time I reached Darjeeling the sky was dark.

Photo From Round the World Adventure in Darjeeling, India

on Jul 29 '07 by Michael & Erin

Most of my time in Darjeeling in 1983 were drizzling or misty. The spectacular mountain views of Darjeeling were obscured by mist. This is how Darjeeling looked like in above photo taken by Michael & Erin in 2007

中華民國駐軍蘭伽公墓剪彩典礼

Jharkhand District, Ranchi City, Ramgarh Town

张其勇忆述重修中国驻印军兰伽公墓往事

（星星生活特稿/作者：捷克佳）

"......经过八个多月的施工，工程于1982年完成，并在1983年2月14日举行隆重剪彩典礼。台湾侨务委员会庞守谦处长和印度兰伽军区司令R.S. Puri准将共同主持仪式。除当地的印度人之外，还有请来的和尚进行超度法式。印度华侨协会也自加尔各答市组团并租赁两部旅游巴士，专程前来兰伽镇参加当日的庆典。(newstarnet.com)"

I been to a unique town in India. It was in 1983. That is the Military Town of Ramgarh where, for the first , I saw a highly disciplined contingent of Indian Army and commanders.

In the above Chinese article that mentioned 2 tour buses, I was in one of the buses that went to Ramgarh in Ranchi on 14th February 1983.

Here are some memories of that trip:

The buses stopped briefly in front the restaurant of Chong Ki Yung, who would a month time receive recognition from Taiwan Government for his merit effort in restoring a forgotten Chinese army cemetery in Ramgarh. It is the opening of this newly restored cemetery I came, alone with 2 bus lot of Chinese residents of Calcutta City.

At the cemetery ground was an army brass band composed mostly Sikh army. They march and played several tunes during the ceremony. It was a very hot day, while all the VIP and visitors seat under shelter of tents, the whole band of Sikh Army stay under strong sun the whole ceremony cession.

The newly Temple also declare open that day and I was amount the first batch of visitor to enter the temple. I was among the last in the line and as I turn my head I saw the main gate at the distant came a big noicy crowd of villages men and women and children approaching the temple. There were VIP inside the tinny and I thought if these crowd also enter same time they may jam the temple. As I was at the doors at that time so instingly I close the 2 wings of the big door trying to keep the noisy crowd outside, at least till all the VIP inside have left.... soon a member approach me and told me its OK to let them in....all of them. So I let all and every one of the group of villagers into the shrine....................

Chinese Army in India - The X Force

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_Force

Why 600 Chinese soldiers rest-in-peace in the soil of India?

There is a chapter in modern history which the Indian and Chinese forgotten. A capter the young generation of British and American do not know exist. This is also a page the Japanese want to tear off and destroy.

1942, China sent troops into Burma to assist the British in holding back the Japanese conqueror. Chinese loose to the highly self sacrificing Japanese. These Chinese forces became broken up, and retreat out of Burma. Part of these forces entered India’s Ramgarh under the British at that time. Calcutta, during the WW2, was a place of refugee providing refuge protecting many a Chinese scholars, politicians and business men.

This retreated Chinese army were re-equipped and re-trained by American instructors at British expense. They were named X Force and used by General Joseph Stilwell as the spearhead of his drive to open a land route to China (the Ledo Road).

Eventually they return to China with 600 of them choose to remain in India for ever.

Read full stories in : Chinese Army in India http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_Force

印度加爾各答梅光學校校長丘莉蘭自1983年起管理 加爾克漢德省蘭齊市的「中華民國駐印軍蘭伽公墓」。1995因中風不良於行，由學生陳學良接管。

抗日遠征軍公墓斑駁剝落 2010-04-05 22:43:07　中央社記者何宏儒印度蘭齊5日專電

印度加爾各答的華僑4日前往「中華民國駐印軍蘭伽公墓」春祭，因年久失修，墓園祠堂、佛堂樑柱有裂痕，部分墳塚出現破洞、英烈靈位碑也斑駁剝落，亟待整修。

墓園位於加爾克漢德（Jharkhand）省首府蘭齊（Ranchi）近郊的蘭伽（Ramgarh）地區，原名「印度蘭伽中國抗日遠征軍烈士公墓」，為第2次世界大戰期間中華民國遠征軍埋骨之所。

加爾各答（Kolkata）華僑後來將湮滅在荒草荊棘中的國軍墳墓集中遷葬一處，修建成環境清幽的墓園，並僱請專人管理。

6位加爾各答華僑4日分別搭飛機、火車，前往墓園舉行春祭。加爾各答與蘭齊市相隔約320公里；華僑抵蘭齊後，需再花費約2小時車程，走山路抵達墓園。

1983年起受托管理墓園的加爾各答梅光學校校長丘莉蘭對中央社記者表示，加爾各答華僑每年固定在青年節到清明節期間及軍人節時，前往墓園舉行春、秋祭。

最近10年來，她因中風而較少參與，並在4年前將管理之責交棒給學生陳學良。

中央社記者走訪園區，發現一處圍牆遭緊鄰的大樹壓迫，已經崩裂；部分墳塚出現拳頭大小破洞、部分墓碑則有裂痕；蔣公題字「英靈赫奕」的英烈靈位碑也斑駁剝落。

另外，園區大門接待小屋屋頂鋼筋也已露出；陳學良憂心「屋頂不知道那一天會掉下來？」

丘莉蘭強調，維護管理墓園雖然是國家的事，但「我們有責任來幫忙國家保管這個地方」。

由於蘭齊市至蘭伽山區路途遙遠而辛苦，陳學良說，整修工程勢必需要花費數倍於平地或市區的費用。他希望台灣政府撥款協助，以儘早完成整修，告慰異鄉英靈。

Spring Trip, India 1983

Front row 2nd from left : 葉幹中- 僑領, 華僑協會主席, 培梅中學校長

1917年出生，廣東省梅縣人.

1963年11月和1988年7月、1993年8月先後被聘為國民黨第九屆、十三屆、十四屆中央評議委員。

1983 Spring Trip to Buddhist Holy Land

The Mahabodhi Temple was built in the 6th century AD beside the Bodhi Tree where Buddha attained enlightenment.

The main temple structure a huge 50-meter stone-carved pyramid with endless carvings at the 4 sides. The said beside this main temple is the actual Bhodi Tree.

The temple surrounding is a maze of paths, gardens, shrines, and a beautiful green meditation park.

旅印華僑所辦的第二所華僑學校

陈荣进 叶干中 梅光学校

印度葉幹中 葉幹中 張 杰 曾志堯 歐陽勝駒

The only Hakka Association in India

印度加城梅屬嘉應會館

The Meixian Jiaying Association

in Calcutta, India

The President: 葉幹中 (Ye Gan Zhong)

Overseas Chinese Association of India

19-20 New Meredith Street,

Calcutta 700072

India

Fax: 247-6405

僑務工作

加爾各答的《印度日報》(1933)

印度日報社長張啟華﹐

僑領譚銳燊和鄧崇銘﹑

佛教代表悟謙法師﹑李畹生和劉金昌居士，

連葉幹中

忠義堂

和譚銳燊﹑鄧崇銘

“塔壩中國城”隨筆 http://big5.fmprc.gov.cn/gate/big5/in.china-embassy.org/chn/ssygd/chunchaochao/t240227.htm

培梅学校是印度目前仅存的一所华人学校，坐落在华人集中的塔坝区。该校创办于1925年，由当地华人华侨捐资兴建。1951年，因老校舍过于破旧，当地华人又建了一座新的教学楼。

1982 BAHA’I YOUTH CAMP

BAHA’I YOUTH CAMP

AT SEMATAN BEACH

JULY 23-26, 1982

This is my last Baha'i event in Malaysia. After this I left in August to India. The supposed to be a month Baha'i Teaching trip ending up as a school teacher for 2.5 years in a Chinese School in Calcutta.

I attended this Youth Camp but certainly not as a youth at almost 30.

Since then I never return to stay in Kuching though I came back several times for short visit.

In 1998 I return to settle down in Malaysia (in another town) with a family. By then a new generation of youth has grown up. Though only one generation in gap, the characteristic are great different. From the old generation of “Group” consciousness youth to today young generation of “Self” consciousness youth.

Beware, not to repeat the mistake of the “Self Centered” Western Youth.

It is a generation of extremely “Self Centered” young of the West that bring the Western Countries down from once powerful of the last century. Economy, Cultural, Intellectual….

1 January 1981

 

1980 Study Class with Saeid Khadivian in Kuching City in Dr. Fozdar residence

Mr. Saeid Khadivian was the chairman of National Spiritual Assembly of Taiwan in the 1980s.

In previous two years of 1978, and 1979 Malaysia had send a dozen of Travel Teachers to Taiwan and another dozen of Pioneers settled down there. Malaysian Baha'is were proud of this Teaching project to the Chinese. However, when Mr. Saeid Khadivian, as Taiwan NSA Chairman, was here for several days with the Malaysian Baha'is, he didn’t mention any words of the Malaysian Teachers and Pioneers in his country Taiwan.